With Love From Across the Hall
by wordslinger
Summary: At the end of a truly horrible week Jellal has the shock of his life. Where, exactly, is the line between love and hate? Jerza. Complete.


_**Author's Note: For Jelulz based on the following tumblr prompt -**_

 _ **"Imagine your OTP being in a situation where they don't know each other, but are forced to live together (e.g. dorm partners in college). They couldn't care less about each other, and are always mad at each other for something stupid and small. But what they didn't know was that they had made friends online and had grown very fond of each other, and started dating online with each other. Person A then suggests that they go on a blind date together. They give a location that hardly anyone ever goes to, so they can meet up easily. When they get to said location and see each other, they suddenly feel really shy and awkward, quickly reading over their texts and how they had ranted about their terrible roommate to each other, and realize that they're in a love-hate relationship."**_

* * *

"Jellal?" Lucy's voice startled him out of his pity party. "Why are you out here alone in the snow on a Friday night?" She dusted off a section of the bench and joined him. "I thought you had a date with your mystery girl."

"I did."

"Well, how did it go? I can't remember the last time I saw you looking so down."

"It wasn't what I expected and as it turns out she's not even a mystery." Jellal sighed and brushed the snow from his hair.

"You're being cryptic."

"It's Erza."

"What about Erza?"

"I mean, the girl. It's Erza."

Lucy's mouth dropped open in shock. "Your roommate? _That Erza?_ Wow. Do you think she was catfishing you? That doesn't seem likely since you guys have been chatting for almost two years now."

"No, she was just as surprised as I was… and probably a little angry."

"Well, you two aren't exactly great friends. Is that why you're out here in the cold? You can't freeze away feelings, Jellal. I know you liked her."

"It was just a shock. I can't believe I misjudged her so horribly but I guess that's to be expected when you haven't ever met someone in person."

Lucy scooted closer to him and looped her arm through his. "Listen to me, okay? You and Erza had a bad time right out of the gate. It was a weird situation and neither of you were at your best. Sometimes that just happens."

"Yeah, well –"

"I'm not done talking," Lucy scolded. "The first time I met Natsu he set my hair on fire and said it was my fault for not getting out of the way. Honestly, I thought he was the stupidest guy alive."

"And now?"

"Well…" Jellal snorted and Lucy laughed. "He's not perfect, Jellal. Neither are you and neither is Erza. You know she can be sweet and funny and everything you wanted in a girlfriend, right? Don't bail now just because you already know she's got a temper and a scrappy side, too."

"I guess."

" _You guess?_ Excuse me, Mister She-Takes-So-Long-To-Wash-Her-Hair-I'm-Getting-Up-At-Five-Thirty-Just-To-Use-All-The-Hot-Water-Because-I-Had-To-Take-A-Cold-Shower-That-One-Time but you can be pretty childish, too. Don't you think you owe her a chance to show you a full picture of who she is? And vice versa?"

"But she can be so… _bitchy!_ "

"Are you intentionally ignoring all the times you passed along her complaints about _you?_ Aren't you the least bit ashamed of your own behavior?"

Jellal shuffled his feet in the gathering snow. "Yes," he finally muttered.

"Well, I think this is probably the best thing for the two of you." Lucy shivered and leaned into him. "You've got to find a way to reconcile both sides of Erza. The parts you don't like were always there. And I'm sure in at least one of your many conversations with her you got some insight into _why_ she did the things she did. It's rare that couples get to experience both a honeymoon phase _and_ the inevitable spiral of reality that comes right after at the same time."

" _Spiral of Reality?_ Is this like your made up phrase of _Internet Barrier?"_

"Yep. I'm writing a book of Lucy-isms. Everyone else will have to pay for them but because we're such good friends you get the full experience for free. You're welcome."

Jellal continued to stare out at the falling snow. "I'm such an asshole."

"Only sometimes." Lucy laughed and nudged him with her elbow before standing. "I'm going to change, and find Natsu. I'm sure he's either burning something or is at least indoors. Go home, Jellal. You've got to face her sometime."

"Thanks, Lucy," he muttered as she walked away.

* * *

The apartment was dark when he returned home and Jellal hated the silence. Before today he might have actually been pleased to find his roommate hidden away with only the sound of keyboard clicks coming from under her door. Now, though, the isolation was painful. He couldn't blame her for being hurt and feeling a little betrayed by what had just happened because he'd felt the same way. Of all the possible outcomes this was the one he'd expected least. In fact, he hadn't even _considered_ that Erza would be the person on the other end of the line. Up until four hours ago she'd been nothing but a nuisance. A frustration. An _intruder_.

As Lucy had pointed out, though, it was unfair of him to blame any of the scuffles from the last few weeks solely on her. Their discord was just as much his fault as it was hers, and in his scrabbling to blame someone, _Simon's_ name was the one he settled on.

Jellal stared at Erza's closed bedroom door. A faint yellow light fanned out on the carpet and served as a beacon of hope. Maybe she was still awake.

"Erza?" He called softly. Knocking felt too harsh. "Are you up?" There was no response and Jellal sighed. He pulled his phone from his pocket and typed out a quick message. There was a series of thumps before the door rattled with the impact of what he assumed was Erza's phone. Obviously she wasn't ready to speak to him yet. He supposed that was fair, but he had a lot of things to say.

"Please, Erza? Just talk to me."

Silence.

Jellal leaned against the wall and slid down to sit on the floor. "I know this is… hard. I'm just as surprised as you. I want to apologize for everything." His head rolled back and hit the wall. "I guess in my mind you were just part of a whole person. I only took into account the conversations we had and didn't really think of the rest of your life. Maybe… maybe I thought of you as perfect. And I'm sorry because I know that's not fair."

The more he thought about everything Lucy had said the more her words made sense and it was a tough pill to swallow when Erza certainly hadn't been on her best behavior either.

"It feels like we've been living in a weird fractured vacuum. On one half we get along great. I don't know that I trust anyone more with the things I've shared with you over the last two years and I –" Jellal picked at the carpet. If he was going to say anything at all it may as well be the whole truth. "I really liked you, you know? I can't tell you how many times I wanted to leave chatting behind and just _be_ with you. And now –" He laughed bitterly. "Now I realize you were here the whole time just a handful of feet away… and we did nothing but argue."

"I think maybe we have a special knack for bringing out both the best and worst of one another. If you need space, that's fine, but you have to tell me what's going on."

He listened intently for any sign that Erza was hearing him. There was none.

"I admit I've been really petty ever since you moved in. It's not even your fault, really. I was angry that I had to practically beg Simon to rent me this apartment and he just let you in without a fight. He didn't even tell me until two days before you showed up on my doorstep with Kagura." He cringed at the memory. "And I'm sorry for _that_ , too. She and I have never been on the best of terms. Personality clash, I guess."

Jellal thought he heard a rustle of blankets and quickly went on before she could shut him down completely.

"I can't imagine what you think of me now that you know _you_ were the terrible roommate I've been complaining about." With a harassed exhale Jellal knocked his head on the wall a few times. "Actually, I _do_ know. You told me all about it."

A shadow briefly blocked out the light under the door, and his heart jumped.

"I don't know if it makes things better or worse that I probably wouldn't have cared about your feelings if it wasn't, you know, _you_ but there it is. I feel like the worst kind of jerk knowing I made you so miserable." He thought for sure she was sitting on the other side of the wall but he wouldn't violate her private space to find out. "I would give anything to start over or just have the right words to say. I'm sorry I don't."

"Erza, please," He whispered as he closed his eyes and tried not to relive the last week and a half…

* * *

 _ **Nine days earlier on Wednesday**_

Jellal sighed and stood in his bedroom doorway with hands planted on hips as he made a mental list of everything that needed to happen before Saturday. It wasn't that he minded having a roommate he just wished that Simon had given him more notice… and that it didn't have to be a girl.

He figured things could go one of two ways: the first being Simon was right and this Erza chick was a lost little kitten needing a place to stay – which Jellal found to be unbelievable considering they were supposedly the same age. _No one_ was still a lost kitten by their third year. Or she was a manipulative trouble maker banned from the student dorms for outrageous behavior. He thought the second to be the most likely.

Regardless, he needed to make sure the apartment looked decent lest the new girl went tattle-telling to Simon that he lived in a dump – which he didn't. Once the dirty dishes had been gathered and loaded into the dishwasher, and his laundry was on the right path, he supposed he should sweep the floors but opted to stretch out on the couch instead. He deserved a break.

In his opinion, Twitter was probably the most useless app on his phone. He didn't follow many people, and most of his followers were either porn bots or upstart companies looking for mutuals. He'd have deleted the app altogether if it weren't for a user who called herself _QotFairies_ – a fellow student who'd been complaining loudly in a hashtag about public transportation. She made him laugh and their interests overlapped in enough areas that the banter didn't stop even after a few days. _QotFairies_ was exactly the kind of person he wanted more of in his life.

It had taken him two years of off and on chatting to realize it but, despite never having met her in person, he had somehow developed a nebulous attraction. The bulk of their conversations happened in direct messages and there was something about knowing her words were only visible to him that made his stomach twist in delight.

 _HBMage: Busy?_

 _QotFairies: I was… but now I'm just loafing._

 _HBMage: I'm supposed to be cleaning but I'm loafing too._

 _QotFairies: Cleaning mid-week? I didn't realize you were such a neat freak!_

 _HBmage: LOL no! Someone is moving into the empty bedroom. Can't look like a slob._

 _QotFairies: New girlfriend?_

 _HBMage: No way. My landlord decided to fill the spare room. Saves me rent so whatever._

 _QotFairies: So I missed my chance to move in huh? Too bad._

 _HBMage: Maybe we'll luck out and they'll be crazy. The guy who owns this place doesn't like crazy. Are you still moving this weekend, too?_

 _QotFairies: Yeah. Living off-campus is new to me and I'm not sure how I feel about it. What if my new roommate is horrible?_

 _HBMage: You'll be fine. Whoever it is, they're lucky._

 _QotFairies: You're overestimating how easy I am to live with._

 _HBMage: I doubt that. Besides, it's *you*. What's not to like?_

 _QotFairies: I bet you say that to all the girls._

 _HBMage: That's harsh. I would never._

 _QotFairies: I should hope not. I'm not the jealous type but…_

 _HBMage: There's only room for one Queen of the Fairies in my life, and it's you._

 _QotFairies: Good to know ;)_

A knock at the door burst his bubble. Through the peep-hole he saw a blonde ponytail and felt a stab of guilt. He'd completely forgotten about reading through Lucy's books. It seemed as though when he wasn't thinking about _QotFairies_ his mind was lost in space – literally. He had a major in astronomy sciences and Lucy was his regular partner. She smiled at him when he pulled the door open.

"Hey! I'm sorry for not calling first but my work schedule was changed last minute and I didn't want to bug you tonight on my way home."

"Oh no, it's fine but I didn't get a chance read the sections you marked last night. Simon sprung some news on me and I've been trying to clean the place up."

"Are you getting kicked out?" Lucy shed her backpack from her shoulders and sat at his kitchen table.

"No, nothing like that. He's moving someone into the extra bedroom this weekend and I'm just trying to make sure everything's clean."

"Are you okay with having a roommate? I know you've been enjoying the solitude since you moved off campus."

Jellal shrugged and peeked into his refrigerator. "I'll live. Want something to drink? All I've got is canned soda."

"No, thank you. I don't need the extra salt. If you have time now I can go over some of this material with you. My shift doesn't start for another forty-five minutes." Lucy eyed the way Jellal slumped disinterestedly into a chair. "Actually, you keep these for now, okay?"

"Thanks, Lucy." He grimaced and sighed.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm irritated to have this girl shoved on me with no notice."

"Your new roommate is female? That should be interesting," Lucy said with a wink.

"Honestly, I don't even care. I just wish Simon had less of a boner for her and gave me more time. He's obviously buying into whatever she's selling because I've never known him to make decisions on the fly. It took me weeks to convince him to rent this apartment to me and we've been friends for years."

"Do you think she's manipulating him into a place to stay?"

"That's my guess."

"Who is she?"

"I don't know. I got the impression he's known her for a long time. Long enough to still think of her as a little helpless and have a deluded crush. Supposedly she's a student, too."

"Well, don't hold it against him. Some guys are clingy like that. Speaking of women, how's it going with your Twitter girlfriend?"

Jellal groaned. " _Please_ don't call her that! She's not really a girlfriend."

"If the two of you weren't dragging your feet and separated by the internet barrier –"

"The _internet barrier?"_

"That's what I call it," Lucy waived him off. "Anyway, if Twitter wasn't your only means of communication you'd totally be dating her."

"She's just a friend!"

"Then why haven't you been dating recently?"

"Well –" Jellal shifted in his chair suddenly uncomfortable. "That's –"

"Uh, huh. You like her and you can't commit to anyone else because you don't even want to bother."

"I could have someone else."

Lucy scrutinized him carefully before slowly shaking her head. "No you couldn't. You don't do flings, Jellal. You're like Natsu in that way."

"Natsu and I are _nothing_ alike."

"Maybe not in a lot of ways, but neither of you see the point of bothering with sex or romance if it's not viable long-term." Lucy tapped her fingernails on the tabletop as she continued to assess him. "Why haven't you met her in person?"

"Because," he began slowly. There was no point in lying to Lucy. "I'm afraid if we meet things will fizzle and then I'll have lost the possibility something more _and_ the friend along with it."

"Has _she_ brought it up?"

"Well, there's been some mention of it but nothing specific."

"I think you're making a mistake, Jellal. This Schrödinger's Relationship is stressful even for me."

"Right now I can only handle one unknown factor and she's moving in this weekend."

"Excuses, excuses." Lucy glanced at the clock on his wall and stood. "I better get going. Don't forget to read through those chapters tonight. We can't proceed with the assignment until we're on the same page."

"I promise I'll get on it."

"See you tomorrow in class!" Lucy called as she left him alone in his kitchen.

* * *

 _ **Saturday**_

"So it's _you_."

" _You're_ Simon's sister. Why didn't he just tell me you were the one moving in? I could've hung some garlic or crucifixes." Jellal stated dryly.

" _I'm_ not the one moving in." Kagura said haughtily and pushing past him. "A gentleman would help us, you know."

"If I see you struggling with something, I'll be sure to jump in," he countered. Kagura huffed and left him alone with her friend who he assumed was his new roommate.

"I hope we aren't getting off on the wrong foot."

Jellal shrugged. "Kagura can be pretty bracing. I didn't expect to see her is all." He held out his hand. "I'm Jellal."

She took his hand briefly in greeting. "I'm Erza. Listen, I know Simon probably sprung this on you and I'm sorry about that."

"It's fine. You should know my work schedule is pretty erratic and I spend a lot of time with my study group. It's really important that you don't lose your key."

"I won't."

"I generally save my laundry for Fridays because that's my regular day off."

"Okay."

"I, uh –" He'd run out of authoritative steam. "I don't really have rules… I should let you get back to unpacking or whatever. I've got somewhere to be." He spun on his heel and headed for the door. Another encounter with Kagura would ruin the rest of his afternoon.

"Um, just really quick –" Jellal turned back towards her. "I hate to bother you with this on my first day here but I didn't want to just assume anything."

"Yeah?"

"Do you think it would be okay if I slept on the couch until Monday? I had to buy a new bed and it won't be delivered until then."

"That's fine. If you have the TV on, though, try to keep it down. The walls here aren't especially thick. Keep that in mind if you bring guys here."

Erza visibly bristled. "I don't date very much so that won't be a problem," she said icily.

"I didn't say anything about dating, Red." He grinned at her before walking out the front door. It wasn't until he reached the bottom floor and successfully evaded Kagura – who had her arms full of more boxes – that he felt like an ass.

* * *

 _ **Sunday**_

Erza was neither the shy schoolgirl Simon implied nor the brash party girl he'd assumed and Jellal conceded that perhaps there hadn't been any manipulation on her part after all. Even though he was grateful his assumptions about Erza were wrong, he still found himself annoyed. It was clear why Simon had a poorly-concealed crush on her. She was beautiful and had a shade of hair he'd never seen before. He didn't want to like it. The very fact that Simon had caved so quickly to a pretty girl ruffled his feathers.

All of that aside, he needed to try and get along with her. It was necessary for his sanity to have peace at home. By the time he crawled out of bed and ventured out into the living room he found Erza gone and a mess of blankets on the couch. The mess itself didn't bother him but she'd left behind a floral scent of body spray that irked him. He wouldn't even be able to enjoy his own sofa without being reminded that his life had been invaded.

It wasn't until three hours before he was due into work that he realized he'd completely forgotten to wash his uniform. In the rush to have clean clothes he didn't think of how he was loading the machine. At the end of the cycle he realized his mistake. Pants with drawstrings – such as his pajamas – should be secured in tie-offs before washing. Jellal tugged on the tangle of strings and buttons to no avail. A lengthy stream of expletives escaped in a frustrated growl.

"Do you often fight with the appliances or is this just something you reserve for the weekends?" Erza's voice behind him dripped with sarcasm. She'd caught him off guard. "You might want to remember that the walls aren't especially thick and anyone can hear every dirty word that comes out of your mouth."

Jellal pursed his lips and turned to face her. "Are you going to help me or just stand there and talk?"

"If I see you struggling, I'll be sure to jump in." Erza shrugged. "Or not."

She left him alone in the laundry room and seething.

* * *

 _ **Monday**_

Jellal deposited his bag, books, and laptop on his bed and returned to the kitchen. He had two hours to eat and still be at work on time. When he saw the contents of the sink his eye twitched. Erza had made the effort to wash all the dishes and put them away – completely forgoing the dishwasher – except for the ones he'd used. There was a fork, coffee mug, and a plate patiently waiting to be serviced.

The situation irritated him for a few reasons. He certainly didn't expect Erza to clean up after him but the three dishes would've taken her less than a minute to wash; especially if she'd already done groundwork of filling the sink with water and soap! Jellal decided the way the dishes had been done – by hand – was also an insult. It sent a clear message that his new roommate wasn't above doing things manually but there would be no additional effort put forth. She didn't even want her dishes in the same dishwasher as his.

At the very same time his mind told him not to stoop to her level – and that perhaps her irritation was a tiny bit his fault for being such a jackass on Saturday – another, more childish, part of him vowed that two could play the game of looking out for only one's self.

Jellal considered himself decent in the kitchen. He wasn't a clueless barbarian who dined only on frozen pizzas and spaghetti. His mother had seen to it that he could prepare a small variety of things without assistance and given him the skillsets necessary to learn new recipes easily. In all his maturity, he prepared exactly half the amount of food he'd pulled from the pantry and fridge. The array of uncooked food sat on the counter in a place he knew Erza would see it. He just hoped she'd be home before he had to leave for work.

The sound of the front door slamming shut drew him from the bathroom as he buttoned his uniform top. He watched as Erza glanced over the empty sink and pantry contents before shoving them aside. Jellal frowned deeply as she pulled a variety of things from grocery bags. Obviously she'd not been relying on anyone for an evening meal.

Her lack of reaction put him in a bad mood all night. Most of his co-workers steered clear.

When he returned to the apartment just after midnight he noticed Erza's books and notes still stacked on the kitchen table. He'd never bothered to ask about her field of study and since the light under her door was out, Jellal chanced a peek at her belongings.

 _Of course_ , he thought with bitter disappointment. _Of course_ she was studying culinary arts. His embarrassment deepened when he thought of how he'd acted earlier at dinner. He hated the way she'd one-upped him again. Inside the refrigerator was a plate covered in plastic wrap. Whatever she'd made smelled fantastic and he'd have eaten if… if there hadn't been folded note beside the plate. There was one word written on it in Erza's curling script.

 _Amateur_.

He shut the refrigerator door with such force the condiment bottles in the door compartment rattled.

* * *

 _ **Tuesday**_

 _QotFairies: It's really starting to stress me out. I made a ridiculous beginner's mistake today in a class. I've never felt so stupid in my life._

 _HBMage: If it helps, I know how you feel. I'm starting to think living in a car would be less of a frustration than a roommate._

 _QotFairies: So we're in the same boat, huh?_

 _HBMage: Things didn't start off well and I didn't try to fix it._

 _QotFairies: I'm sure it's not your fault. Some people are just intolerable no matter what. I know you're not a bad person._

 _HBMage: The day they moved in I said something really dumb and since then I feel like we're in a battle of punishment._

 _QotFairies: Aw, how bad could it have been? There's no way you were as big of a dick as the person I live with. I think I'm a fairly forgiving person but this guy really takes the asshole cake. He had one look at me and made a bunch of assumptions._

 _HBMage: I'm sorry. That sounds really shitty. I wish I could make it better._

 _QotFairies: Maybe you can._

 _HBMage: Contrary to my username, I'm not actually a magician._

 _QotFairies: That's not what I meant. Maybe it's forward of me, but I want to meet. I hope that's not too sudden. Have I made it awkward?_

 _HBMage: That's not sudden or forward. It's been two years ;)_

 _QotFairies: I just feel like sometimes I want more than this._

 _HBMage: More? As in more than chatting? Or something else?_

 _QotFairies: Let's start with dinner okay? That's easy enough, right? I want to make sure you have an out in case I'm not what you thought._

 _HBMage: I doubt I'll need an out, but okay. I'm free on Friday._

 _QotFairies: Perfect. Try not to get into more trouble at home before then._

 _HBMage: Anything for you._

Jellal tossed his phone aside when he heard Erza in the laundry room. He'd meant to tell her that he needed the washer for an emergency load of clothes but forgot. She was bound to be irritated with him, but that wouldn't be anything out of the ordinary. When he rounded the corner to peek into the tiny room she turned to glare at him.

"You claimed Fridays. Today is Tuesday," she stated plainly.

"Sorry about that. I forgot about some –"

"I need the washer _now_. All my smocks are dirty and I won't have time to sit through laundry tonight."

"This load should be almost done." Jellal shrugged. "It's not a big deal and I already apologized."

"There's twenty minutes left on the timer, and this washer has a forty-five minute cycle. The dryer takes an hour. I needed that time, Jellal."

She'd never used his first name before and he really didn't care for the biting way it fell from her lips.

"What do you want me to do about it?"

"Get your stuff out! I need to wash these smocks! I have a presentation exam tonight at six! At least one of them needs to be spotless and starched! _Preferably this one!_ " She held out a chef's smock that was splattered with what appeared to be chocolate. "I wore the wrong one this morning and forgot about the stupid presentation and then I turned on the mixer before lowering it into the bowl and th –"

"Listen, there's nothing I can do! I can't stop the washer mid-cycle."

Erza stared at him for a long moment. It was clear she was simmering in rage and for half a second Jellal felt guilty. Before he could make any apologies, though, she flung the smock at him and stormed from the laundry room.

"You know what? Whatever. I'll just buy a new one. I can't really afford but I don't have time for your bullshit." She disappeared into her bedroom for a moment and reappeared with her bag and phone. "I had no idea you were _this_ petty and a _liar_."

"I'm not a liar!" He shouted.

Erza turned back to him. Her face was etched with rage and she opened her mouth to speak but seemed to think better of it. Instead, she bit down on her lip and left him alone in the apartment.

In truth, he hadn't meant to be so uncaring about something that was obviously important to her. The confrontation had been his fault and he felt horrible about the way she'd left – and the fact that her chin had been trembling slightly. Jellal pulled his phone from his pocket and opened the browser. The least he could do was help out with the load of dirty smocks, but not before a quick search on how to properly wash them. As he read over stain treatments for dried chocolate, a message from _QotFairies_ popped up.

 _QotFairies: Worst day ever._

 _HBMage: Agreed. Friday can't come soon enough._

* * *

 _ **Wednesday**_

"Why did you do it?" Erza's voice from the doorway commanded his attention.

"Excuse me?"

"Why did you do my laundry? I didn't ask you to." She folded her arms over the chest.

Jellal shrugged and leaned back against his bed pillows. "Because I felt bad for making you cry."

"I wasn't crying." He felt her stare through the cover of his book. "Don't touch my clothes again. I hardly know you and it's weird."

"I'm not a creepy panty sniffer or anything. Sorry for feeling guilty and trying to be nice."

" _Nice_ would be you reimbursing me for the thirty dollars I had to spend on a new smock."

Jellal spread his book over his chest. "I didn't make you buy that. In fact I had your dirty smocks cleaned and hanging by five-fifteen. You would've had plenty of time to get to your exam. Instead, you threw a temper tantrum and wasted thirty bucks. Not my fault."

"You're unbelievable." She turned to leave. "Just don't touch my clothes anymore. I can handle my own business."

"I'd rather be unbelievable than hot-tempered."

He thought he heard her murmur something about Simon as she walked away but couldn't be sure. At least for his own part, Jellal knew he had plenty of things to say to the guy about who he called a friend.

* * *

 _ **Thursday**_

Without really discussing it Jellal and Erza began to avoid one another. She'd tacked a copy of her schedule – both work and school – on the corkboard near the front door and he followed suit. They'd been living together for less than a week and already lines had been drawn in the sand.

The one bright spot was the date he'd made with _QotFairies_ for Friday. The diner she suggested wasn't somewhere he'd been before but she assured him everything on the menu was fantastic and their selection of locally brewed beer couldn't be missed out on.

Letting the date slip in front of Lucy was an embarrassing mistake.

"Are you nervous?" She asked. Jellal looked up and found her grinning.

"No."

"How can you not be nervous? You've been chatting with this girl since our first year and now you're going to meet her! It's about time." Lucy twirled a strand of hair around her finger. "You need a break anyway."

"A break?"

"Yeah, from all that strife at home. Everyone has noticed your mood lately."

"I could throttle Simon for setting that harpy on me. She's crazy, Lucy."

"I'm sure she's not crazy. You guys just don't get along. I'd recommend working it out, though. Even Natsu and Grey have calmed down."

Jellal frowned. "You think Erza and I are as bad as Natsu and Grey? That's a serious accusation."

"If you're not there already, you will be soon. You two should sit down and talk about things." Lucy released her hair and narrowed her eyes. "Please tell me this isn't some school yard nonsense where you actually have a thing for her but can't stop being a caveman long enough to express your feelings."

"No! Erza is…" He tugged on the sleeves of his shirt in frustration. If not for her temper and the way she grated on his very last nerve, she'd be exactly the kind of girl he'd go for. But he couldn't admit that to Lucy. "She's not my type."

Lucy snorted and choked back her laughter. "If you say so, Jellal. I'm crying bullshit, but okay."

"It's not bullshit! I have a date on Friday with a person I'm very much interested in. Erza isn't even on my radar."

She leaned her chin on her palm and grinned. "What a problem for you, huh? Twitter girlfriend on top of a gorgeous roommate that presses all your buttons. There's piles of romance novels about that kind of thing, you know."

"Can we get back to work, please?" Lucy's suggestions were making his skin crawl.

"Have you considered propositioning Erza? I hear angry sex is a great way to work through problems."

Jellal snapped the textbook shut and gathered his belongings. "That's it. I'm going home. You're insufferable today."

Lucy laughed and waved him off. "Let me know how your date goes! Or, you know, the _other_ thing!"

He didn't respond. When he stepped outside a light snow had begun to fall. Jellal quickly typed out a message on his phone.

 _HBMage: I seriously need some new friends._

 _QotFairies: Haha! Sometimes I feel the exact same way._

* * *

 _ **Friday**_

Jellal tapped his fingers on the tabletop. He'd intentionally arrived at the diner early to have a drink and calm himself a little before his date arrived. Earlier that evening he'd run into Kagura on her way out of the apartment. They hadn't spoken but her presence was enough to grate on his nerves. By the time he finished his shower Erza's bedroom door was open but the room dark. Not that he cared at all.

Snow fell steadily beyond the diner windows and he focused on that instead of the doors. He couldn't stop himself from glancing over every time the string of bells jingled, though. Anxiety was building and his foot tapped restlessly on the floor.

The bells chimed again and he looked from his beer bottle just in time to lock eyes with the very last person he ever expected to see. Erza scowled and shed her coat. She scanned the restaurant before her expression melted into something that could only be described as dismay.

 _No_ , he thought as his mind reeled at one thousand miles per hour. _No, no, nonono. No_. The very _possibility_ would have to be the biggest and most cruel coincidence in the history of the known universe. Erza crossed the floor and sank into the booth bench across from him. She frowned and pulled per phone from the pocket of her coat that lay across her lap. Without speaking she poked at the screen a number of times before his own phone buzzed on the table between them confirming his worst fears.

"Did you know?" she asked curtly.

"I didn't have a clue, I swear."

Erza nodded and her eyes looked everywhere but him. "Honestly, I should've guessed something like this would happen. It's just par for the course this year."

"Erza –"

She abruptly stood. "I'll go. I don't think I can do this right now." She didn't give him a chance to respond and left the diner without even putting her coat back on. He watched as she passed him on the other side of the window and tried not to notice the way she swiped at tears.

The sun was setting when he left the diner and the only place Jellal could think to go was Lucy's dorm. He found it empty, though, and settled for a bench outside the building. She'd have to return at some point. He just hoped he wouldn't freeze before that happened…

* * *

Jellal snapped back to the present as Erza's bedroom door finally cracked open and he pushed himself off the wall. Her face was streaked with dried tears and her hair wasn't nearly the perfection it had been earlier that evening. She crawled through the doorway, leaned against the frame and hugged her knees to her chest.

"I'm sorry too," she said softly. "I haven't been the easiest to live with. I'm sure you didn't expect a roommate halfway through the school year and I'm thinking that Kagura may have done some bullying to make it happen."

"She can be a force of nature sometimes." He smiled at her in the dim light of her bedroom lamp.

"I wish I could've…" Erza trailed off and picked at the cuff of her pajama top.

"Honestly, there was nothing more or better you could've done. I was already annoyed with Simon and when Kagura showed up with you in tow I just switched into asshole mode. You shouldn't blame yourself."

"I've never been so disgusted with my own childish behavior in my life. The note in the refrigerator was _very_ immature and you were right about my laundry. There was plenty of time but I let my temper get the better of me." She smiled sheepishly up at him. "Sorry for throwing the smock in your face, too. It was very sweet of you to handle my laundry."

"Erza I don't know how to make this better. I want to but I don't know how. Is there even a chance we can move on from this? I mean –" Jellal sighed and pursed his lips. "Even though you're _you_ and I'm _me_ … nothing's changed."

She surprised him and rose to her feet. "Come on."

Jellal followed her to the kitchen and watched as she prepared him a mug of something in the half-darkness. The cup was hot in his hand but the flavor of what she'd made wasn't something he'd tasted before.

"Is that…" He took a second sip. "Is this spicy chocolate?"

Erza finally smiled. "Yep. I passed my exam with that on my menu. Do you like it?" She hopped up on the counter and folded her hands in her lap.

"Honestly, it's the best hot chocolate I've had in my life."

"Flatterer," she said softly but with the same small smile. Jellal set the mug aside and stepped closer to her. Erza reached out and touched the stubborn strand of his hair that always hung in his face. Her fingers traced the red lines of his tattoo before brushing over his lips. "So it really is you, then?"

Jellal took her hand in his and gently kissed her fingers. "I'm sorry it had to be me."

"I heard everything you said earlier." Erza twisted her hand in his grasp and slid her fingers between his. "And I think maybe you're underestimating the way I feel about you. I don't want to start over."

"But –"

"I want you to stay the way you are. Even if you're in a bad mood, I don't want you to feel like you need to hide it because sometimes I'm going to lose control of my temper – and there's no way of hiding _that_."

Jellal inched between her knees as she wound her arms around his neck. "Erza –"

"And I'm not sorry it's you," she whispered. His hands slid around her waist and pulled her the edge of the counter.

"Can we be done talking for now? Because I really want to kiss you," Jellal said touching his nose to hers.

"I am definitely done talking for now and you should definitely kiss me."

Erza's lips were soft. Her hair was soft, and so was the skin that hid behind the hem of her pajama top. She wrapped her thighs around his middle and returned his kisses with a surprising force. As far as he was concerned there was nothing else beyond the kitchen that existed in the universe. When Erza pulled back he blinked in confusion.

"You should know that I had every intention of bringing you home eventually to make use of the thin walls in this apartment," she said sliding her hand under his shirt and against his chest.

Jellal grinned wolfishly. "Well, _you_ should know that _I've_ already heard the sounds you make when you're –"

Erza's eyes widened and she gasped. "Don't you _dare_ finish that sentence! There's no way –"

He shrugged and squeezed her hip. "I told you the walls were thin."

"I can't believe you were listening to that!"

"It wasn't on purpose! You probably thought you were trying to be quiet but you're pretty loud. And I'm not judging you because it's been a really shitty week."

She hid her face in his shoulder. "I'm so embarrassed!"

"You shouldn't be," he said quietly in her ear. "There's this way your breath hitches right when you're about to finish and I have to say it's the hottest thing I've ever heard on accident."

"You're terrible and should be ashamed of yourself," Erza mumbled as she held him tighter and dug her fingernails into his shoulders.

"Are we going to be okay?" Jellal asked after a moment.

"I think so. I think Kagura will hate it, though."

He smirked. "I don't care what she thinks."

"I don't either. I'm just saying she's going to have an opinion. She always does." Erza yawned and glanced around him at the clock on the stove. "It's late and I hope your sheets are clean. It's Friday, after all." She pushed him back and slid off the counter.

"Did you just invite yourself into my bed? That's very forward of you, Erza, I'm scandalized."

"No one who admits listening to someone else get off can possibly be scandalized by anything I just said." She grabbed his hand and pulled him from the kitchen. "Take me to bed or I'll make you wait for three months before I let you touch me again."

"That's mean."

"And I'll make sure you hear every hitch of breath every time you're home at night."

Jellal shook his head. "That's hardcore, Erza."

She quirked an eyebrow. "Do you think I'm joking?"

"I'd rather not find out." He let her lead him into his bedroom and was glad he hadn't skipped the last effort to wash his sheets instead of putting it off for another week.

A month later he finally deleted Twitter from his phone. Erza hated the hassle of it just as much as he did and, _Besides_ , she'd said, _Twitter won't let me send you videos when you're at work_.

It didn't take him long to realize that Erza's videos shouldn't be opened within range of customers… even if it was just mostly couch cushions and the sound of breathing.


End file.
